But since ImageReady objects aren't true vector objects, every edit you make spawns a different layer, and you must create separate layers for each effect. To add effects to your graphics, apply ImageReady's Layer Styles, such as drop shadow or bevel, with the palette tool of the same name. Fireworks, meanwhile, gracefully creates and handles all types of object creation. Sadly, ImageReady offers few shape options-a rectangle, a rounded rectangle, and an ellipse-so if you want to construct dynamic, interactive buttons, you must first create them with either an external illustration program, such as Adobe Illustrator, or Photoshop's polygon or custom shape tool.

Unlike Fireworks, which is equally at home with both vector and bitmapped graphics, Photoshop/ImageReady favors the bitmap. To help you organize these effects, version 7.0 sports a new Rollovers palette that displays all the rollovers, image maps, animation sequences, and slices you have added to your document. These three features let you turn images into simple GIF or QuickTime animations, divide images into irregularly shaped segments (each of which links to its own URL), and cut your document into smaller segments, respectively. Once you've created the graphics, ImageReady lets you add Web-savvy functionality-slices, image maps, rollovers, and simple animation-via a triple-tabbed Animation/ Image Map/Slice palette set. Like Fireworks, ImageReady's work-space window sports four tabs-Original, Optimized, 2-Up, and 4-Up-to preview your document in different file formats and compression rates. In addition, you'll find an Animation, Image Map, and Slice palette at the bottom of ImageReady's screen and a Rollovers palette on the left. Unless you need easy access to Photoshop's powerful image-editing tools, we give Fireworks a slight Web graphics edge.Īdobe acolytes won't experience much of a learning curve, since ImageReady's interface resembles Photoshop's-toolbars on the left, palettes on the right, and work space in the middle. Despite those advantages, when it comes to producing Web-based, static graphics, we prefer Fireworks' cleaner interface and seamless support for both vector and graphic objects. Photoshop, the image editor, and ImageReady, the Web graphics creator, are thoroughly integrated, so you can take advantage of Photoshop's advanced image editing from within ImageReady.

Unless you need easy access to Photoshop's powerful image-editing tools, we give Fireworks a slight Web graphics edge.Īlthough Photoshop and ImageReady are two discrete programs, they ship together on one CD. Although and ImageReady are two discrete programs, they ship together on one CD.

Adobe photoshop 7.0 reviews